I'm kinda getting this impression from a lot of creative jobs these days. But I had no idea you were going through that --- work sucks.

I hadn't really thought about it much, but friends in other entertainment(-related) industries go through the same stuff. It's like creativity is both under and overvalued. They often hear whatever they do is amazing and that they're so talented, but very few actually want to pay a decent amount for their work. A friend of mine had a few no-name customers that thought she should feel honoured for being asked to do some illustrations for them, so honoured she shouldn't want payment. As if compliments pay the bills...

I guess the one thing I hate about the game industry right now is related to that. Publishers have a tendency of keeping big titles behind bars before the big release. They'll fly journalists in to play their game for a day or so and a trip like that is supposed to be all awesome and special. I hate it. Either you're playing in a nearly empty room (Nintendo's playroom in the Netherlands was as big as several classrooms, or atleast it felt like it, because I was the only one there, huddled on a couch in the corner playing a DS game) or it's more of a event type of thing and they're trying to fill you up with snacks, energy drinks and marketing blablabla. I prefer playing games at home. I've got a nice tv, a comfy couch, I can eat and drink whatever I want (right now that'd be tea and mandarin oranges) and I love not having to go through security to use the bathroom. It's nice and quiet at home and that makes it so much easier to appreciate a game. But nope, publishers think their forgettable sequel it too important for that... Anyway, the whole thing seems to be more about the promotion of a game than the game itself and that gets in the game of properly experiencing the game. Seems like an insult to the people who actually made it, doesn't it? "It not about what you made, it's about how we sell it."

I really, really get irritated when a giant company logo, well lit, seems to make its way into moves... where all the Coke labels on cans seem to be turned towards the camera. Where people on movies posters look more plastic than goddamn Barbie dolls or when you can hardly tell what actor/actress is on the cover of a magazine because she's been "adjusted" so much. Or even less digital example where they have plus sized celebrities shot from the chest up so you don't see the rest. Where even minor imperfections must always be done away with.

With respect to corporate culture, I notice that with every part-time job I basically had: They add more and more rules and guidelines for how to do our job than give us much agency over it. But like to the point you can't really fit all these tasks in. Well, you can, if you're a fucken robot. Upsell, promotions #1, promotion #2, recommend website, tell about survey, promotion #3, thank them for their business, come again!

I 1000% agreed with your earlier point. Creativity is so respected and demanded...but hardly appreciated.

I really, really get irritated when a giant company logo, well lit, seems to make its way into moves... where all the Coke labels on cans seem to be turned towards the camera. Where people on movies posters look more plastic than goddamn Barbie dolls or when you can hardly tell what actor/actress is on the cover of a magazine because she's been "adjusted" so much. Or even less digital example where they have plus sized celebrities shot from the chest up so you don't see the rest. Where even minor imperfections must always be done away with.

How many dark haired quirky girls with bangs are there right now? I lost count...

It's funny how real people are starting to look more like videogame characters instead of the other way around.

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With respect to corporate culture, I notice that with every part-time job I basically had: They add more and more rules and guidelines for how to do our job than give us much agency over it. But like to the point you can't really fit all these tasks in. Well, you can, if you're a fucken robot. Upsell, promotions #1, promotion #2, recommend website, tell about survey, promotion #3, thank them for their business, come again!

I can only imagine how bad it is in retail... Wait, I might actually have a pretty good idea. There's this video game store I go to once in a while. It's part of a big corporation, but since a former classmate works there it feels a bit more personal than shopping online. The guy knows I work as a game journalist, but still points out new releases and asks if I'm interested in collector's editions and stuff. Kinda like they programmed him that way.

Still, the stories I hear about North American chain stores are worse than what I've ever encountered in Europe. Sounds like bad business to me, actually. Wouldn't that time be better spend helping customers find the things that may actually be looking for? That's true customer service. But I guess there isn't much you can do when corporate plans on selling several million copies of a certain title and you're the one who has to help make that happen.

And ugh, the whole pre-order thing! Through retail companies are teaching consumers that being first is more important than being sensible. Midnight launches, encouraging to pre-order hardware that won't be out for another six months... Have you seen that rush on PS4's in Germany? That stuff is | | this close to being like a scene from Attack on Titan. Wall MediaMarkt has been breached, but the poor store clerks don't even get a cool themesong...

(When I'm in that store I sometimes help parents and/or their kids pick out games. It's fun. Too bad the actual job isn't anything like that...)

So I'm watching the Vga award live stream. Absolutely brutal. It gets worse every year.

I swear this is worse then some of the last years, though. The Last of us was revealed at this thing at some point and last year had jessica alba announcing dark souls 2 which was a strange, but entertaining combination. Oh well... there are like hours left of this, so it still has time to improve.